Container for liquids and process of dispensing therefrom



S. LIGHTER April 16, 1963 CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS AND PROCESS OFDISPENSING THEREFROM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 6, 1958 INVENTOR.

STEPHEN LIGHTER BY Alfarney April 16, 1963 s. LIGHTER 3,085,714

CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS AND PROCESS OF DISPENSING THEREFRCM Filed Nov. 6,1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. STEPHEN LIGHTER A Horney United StatesPatent 3,085,714 CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS AND PROUESS 0F DISPENSINGTHEREFROM Stephen Lighter, 3522 Lake Mendota Drive,

Madison, Wis. Filed Nov. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 772,257 11 Claims. (Cl.222-1) This invention is concerned with containers which are used fordispensing liquids containing a gas dissolved under pressure. Inparticular it relates to those cylindrical cans with flat top and bottomand rolled seams which are widely used for dispensing beverages such asbeer and carbonated soft drinks.

These cans possess several advantages over the older glass containers.They are stronger, allow more compact packing and storage, and may beeasily and safely disposed of. However, they have one serious defect.When opened, they often emit foam from the container in quantitiesvarying from a gentle bubbling to a stream of fluid which travels formany feet. The resulting personal inconvenience and property damage areresponsible for many dissatisfied users. An object of the invention isto correct this defect.

The foaming occurs when the gas which has been dissolved under pressurein the fluid reacts to the sudden drop in pressure caused by opening thecontainer, resulting in the formation of bubbles which are expelledunder pressure and carry with them some of the liquid. Glass bottlestend to prevent this by reason of their design, which includes a longglass neck. This serves two purposes: it provides space for the liquidto expand and, more important, provides surface area for the bubbles toadhere to, thus retarding their flow from the container. Moderncylindrical fiat-topped metal containers lack this surface area.

An object of this invention is to provide a container which, when filledto capacity with a liquid in which a gas has been dissolved underpressure, will confine the contained fluid even during periods whenthere is a great tendency for the fluid to be expelled from thecontainer; for example, when it has been opened.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a container in amanner which will allow the continued use of present methods ofmanufacturing the container and packing the liquids, thus making itsimmediate use economically feasible.

Still another object is to do this in such a manner as to allowcontinued use of present methods of opening containers, thus causing theretailer and consumer of the liquids no inconvenience.

Other objects will become apparent from the drawings and from thefollowing detailed description in which it is intended to illustrate theapplicability of the invention without thereby limiting it to a scopeless than that of all equivalents which will be apparent to one skilledin the art.

The invention consists of providing further surface area to be enclosedwithin the container in the form of a member which serves to collect andretard the bubbles and at the same time limit the volume directly underthe opening.

This member may conceivably have many configurations, a few of which areillustrated in the appended drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional perspective of a typical can, showing themember inserted in the form of a cone, apex upward.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional plan View of the can of FIGURE 1, taken onlines 2-2.

FIGURES 3 and 4, respectively similar to FIGURES 3,085,714 Patented Apr.16, 1963 1 and 2, illustrate another embodiment utilizing the samemember, but differing in the point of attachment to the container.

FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 are cross-sectional elevations of other embodiments.

When the can is opened most of the released gas will take the form ofbubbles which will adhere to the lower surface '2 of the inserted member(FIGURES 1, 3 5, 6, and 7) and collect in its upper portion 3. Theremaining bubbles formed by the released gas will collect along theupper surface of the container 4, and will not be sufiicient to causesignificant foaming.

In addition to providing additional surface area for the collection ofbubbles and retardationof outward flow, the member tends to isolate theportion of the liquid closest to the opening, thus limiting theimmediate elfect of the expanding gas.

There are many conceivable shapes and methods of attachment of themember. A preferred embodiment takes the form of a conical member(FIGURES 1 and 2) disposed at the top of the container with its apex upand attached to the container by a pressure fit between lugs 1 on theperiphery of the cone and the walls 6 of the container. Free flow to anyportion of the top is provided by spacing the lower peripheral edge ofthe cone from the container walls at intervals 5.

Another embodiment (FIGURES 3 and 4) has a conical member disposed as inthe first instance, but the point of attachment (as by welding) is atthe apex of the cone and the center of the flat top of the container 3,and flow is provided for by spacing apart at a continuous interval thelower peripheral edge of the cone and the walls of the containerentirely around the periphery.

The member to be inserted may be in the form of a truncated cone withits axis at an angle to the axis of the container (FIGURE 5), securedto. the container by welding along an element 6". The truncation 3"allows free access of the fluid to the top of the container. Surfaces 2"and 4" collect the bubbles and prevent foaming as heretofore described.

Another embodiment (FIGURE 6) may have the members in the form of aninverted cone, with its apex downward. The member is attached to thewalls of the can by lugs 1", either by welding or by a pressure fit.Access is provided by openings 5", and the bubbles form on surfaces 2"and 4" and collect at 3".

Still another possible embodiment (FIGURE 7) utilized a hemisphericalmember with its pole 3" oriented upwards. The member may be attached atits lower peripheral edge by welding or pressure, as before, or at saidpole. Access is provided near the pole 3", and bubbles form on surfaces2"" and 4"".

The member is preferably but not necessarily rigidly fastened to thecontainer.

While certain modifications and embodiments of the invention here havebeen described, it is of course to be understood that there are a greatnumber of variations which will suggest themselves to anyone familiarwith the subject matter thereof and it is distinctly understood thatthis invention should not be limited except by such limitations as areclearly imposed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sealed closed container adapted to confine liquids which contain agas dissolved under pressure, and to dispense such liquids with aminimum of foaming, said container comprising a cylindrical housing, asubstantially flat top and bottom attached to said housing with rolledseams and each substantially perpendicular to the axis of saidcylindrical housing, and a non-confining nonsiphoning member fixedlydisposed within said container providing intra-phase communication andhaving a surface area extending at an angle to said axis and having aportion thereof adapted to provide for the flow of liquid from all partsof the container to an opening in any portion of said flat top.

2. The container of claim 1 adapted to confine said liquids by havingdisposed within said container a conical member having spaced apart lugsextending from its lower edge, oriented with its apex at the top of thecontainer and attached to the sides of the container by a pressure fitbetween said sides and said lugs, and having spaces provided atintervals between said lugs and the side walls of said container.

3. The container of claim 2 having said member attached by welding ofsaid lugs to said sides of said container.

4. A sealed closed container adapted to confine liquids which contain agas dissolved under pressure, and to dispense said liquids with aminimum of foaming, said container comprising a cylindrical housing witha substantially fiat top and bottom attached to said housing by rolledseams, and a member disposed within said container, said member havingthe shape of an inverted cone, oriented with its apex downwards andattached to said container at the top of said container by attachment ofthe upper peripheral edge of said conical member to the top of saidcontainer, said upper peripheral edge being spaced at intervals from thetop of said container.

5. A sealed closed container adapted to confine liquids which contain agas dissolved under pressure, and to dispense said liquids with aminimum of foaming, said container comprising a cylindrical housing withat least a substantially fiat top and bottom attached to said housingwith rolled seams, and each disposed substantially perpendicular to theaxis of said housing, and a member disposed within said container, saidmember being a cone having its apex oriented upwards and attached to thetop of said container, and having its lower peripheral edge spaced apartfrom the side walls of said cylindrical sealed container.

6. The container of claim 5 adapted to confine said liquids by havingdisposed within said container a conical member whose axis is at anangle to the axis of said container, and attached to said containeralong an element of said conical member, and truncated at some distancefrom its apex.

7. A sealed closed container adapted to confine liquids which contain agas dissolved under pressure, and to dispense such liquids with aminimum of foaming, said container comprising a cylindrical housing, asubstantially fiat top and bottom attached to said housing and eachsubstantially perpendicular to the axis of said cylindrical housing, anda non-confining non-siphoning member fixedly disposed within saidcontainer providing intra-phase communication and having a surface areaextending at an angle to said axis and having a portion thereof adaptedto provide for the flow of liquid from all parts of the container to anopening in any portion of said flat top.

8. The container of claim 7 adapted to confine said liquids by havingdisposed within said container a conical member having spaced apart lugsextending from its lower edge, oriented with its apex at the top of thecontainer and attached to the sides of the container by a pressure fitbetween said sides and said lugs, and having spaces provided atintervals between said lugs and the side Walls of said container.

9. The container of claim 7 adapted to confine said liquids by havingdisposed within said container a conical member whose axis is at anangle to the axis of said container, and attached to said containeralong an element of said conical member, and truncated at some distancefrom its apex.

10. The container of claim 7 adapted to confine said liquids by havingdisposed within said container 21 hemispherical member, oriented withits pole upwards and attached to the top of the said container at saidpole, and having its bottom peripheral edge spaced from the wall of saidcontainer at a continuous interval.

11. The process of dispensing a solution of gas and liquid from a sealedcontainer at greater than atmospheric pressure comprising the steps ofproviding an opening in said container, subjecting the contents of saidcontainer to atmospheric pressure, flowing said contents within saidcontainer over non-confining surfaces angularly disposed to a directionof fiow, and pouring said contents from said container in a stream insaid direction, adsorption of said gas on said surfaces causing foamingof said contents to be suppressed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS324,173 Seips Aug. 11, 1885 820,784 Harcourt May 15, 1906 1,558,396Roehrs Oct. 20, 1925 2,693,391 Manseau Nov. 2, 1954 2,765,965 ReswickOct. 9, 1956 2,930,513 Zaleski Mar. 29, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 121,740Germany July 4, 1901 708,368 Germany July 19, 1941

1. A SEALED CLOSED CONTAINER ADAPTED TO CONFINE LIQUIDS WHICH CONTAIN AGAS DISSOLVED UNDER PRESSURE, AND TO DISPENSE SUCH LIQUIDS WITH AMINIMUM OF FOAMING, SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL HOUSING, ASUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TOP AND BOTTOM ATTACHED TO SAID HOUSING WITH ROLLEDSEAMS AND EACH SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF SAIDCYLINDRICAL HOUSING, AND A NON-CONFINING NONSIPHONING MEMBER FIXEDLYDISPOSED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER PROVIDING INTRA-PHASE COMMUNICATION ANDHAVING A SURFACE AREA EXTENDING AT AN ANGLE TO SAID AXIS AND HAVING APORTION THEREOF ADAPTED TO PROVIDE FOR THE FLOW OF LIQUID FROM ALL PARTSOF THE CONTAINER TO AN OPENING IN ANY PORTION OF SAID FLAT TOP.
 11. THEPROCESS OF DISPENSING A SOLUTION OF GAS AND LIQUID FROM A SEALEDCONTAINER AT GREATER THAN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE COMPRISING THE STEPS OFPROVIDING AN OPENING IN SAID CONTAINER, SUBJECTING THE CONTENTS OF SAIDCONTAINER TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, FLOWING SAID CONTENTS WITHIN SAIDCONTAINER OVER NON-CONFINING SURFACES ANGULARLY DISPOSED TO A DIRECTIONOF FLOW, AND POURING SAID CONTENTS FROM SAID CONTAINER IN A STREAM INSAID DIRECTION, ADSORPTION OF SAID GAS ON SAID SURFACES CAUSING FOAMINGOF SAID CONTENTS TO BE SUPPRESSED.